ChimpReports

Breaking News: EU Envoy Slams Gov't For Besigye Arrest

erectile http://deborahmillercounselor.com/wp-includes/post.php geneva; font-size: small;”>EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs told Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi today Tuesday during a breakfast meeting at Kampala Serena Hotel that respect for human rights will determine the future relations of Uganda and the organisation.

approved http://clark-illustration.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-super-cache/plugins/wptouch.php geneva; font-size: small;”>“The EU would like to raise its concerns over the alleged human rights abuses in Uganda. Security forces need to give space to political actors to exercise their rights,” said Andris Piebalgs.

The delegate further slammed government for illegally holding opposition leader Col. Kizza Besigye under house arrest.

Andris said security forces need to be seen respecting human rights not abusing them as a fundamental tenet of democracy.

“We are increasingly getting concerned with the way security deals with human rights in this country,” he said.

The comments were made towards the end of the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by State Minister for Ethics in the Office of the president, Rev. Fr Simon Lokodo, Deputy Attorney-General, Mr Fred Ruhindi and the Permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Pius Bigirimana.

The Premier’s chief publicist Kyetume Kasanga denied the reports, saying: “May be the EU envoy made the remarks while I had briefly gone out.”

Kyetume says Piebalgs hailed Uganda as an excellent development partner the organization has dealt with.

“I am satisfied with results of the recent Joint Budget Support Framework appraisal of the EU-funded country programmes and benchmarks for future funding,” Piebalgs told Mbabazi.

The delegate who is on a two-day official visit to Uganda, urged the government to put emphasis on hydro-electric power generation, renewable energy, food security and community ownership of government programmes.

“He pledged EU’s continued commitment to regular and timely disbursements to support the country’s development efforts,” Kyetume said.

“He encouraged public servants not to complicate disbursement procedures for beneficiary communities in the name of bureaucracy,” the envoy added.

Mbabazi saluted the EU for standing by Uganda’s side since 1986 when the National Resistance Movement took over power, in rebuilding the economy otherwise devastated by mismanagement and political instability.

“The Defence Ministry alone then took more than 60% of the national budget due to the pressing needs but now all security organs combined take less than 8%,” Mbabazi explained.

He said with development partners’ support the government was focusing on wealth creation through the social sector.

Flanked by the Head of the EU Delegation in Uganda, Dr Roberto Ridolfi, Piebalgs was also accompanied from the EU Headquarters in Brussels by the Head of cabinet Christopher Jones and that of the Great lakes Division, Maud Arnould, among others.

Piebalgs is expected to witness the commissioning of the completed section of the Masaka-Mbarara road and breaking ground for the Mbarara-Katuna road by President Yoweri Museveni. Funding the construction of both roads was mainly undertaken by the EU.